Field of the Invention
Aspects of the present invention relate to signal controlled hand actuated articulating devices and methods of use thereof. One aspect of the present invention relates to a signal controlled hand-actuated articulating surgical instrument for use in minimally invasive surgical procedures, wherein the instrument includes a powered system therein.
Background of the Related Art
Laparoscopic surgery is known in the related art. However, current laparoscopic surgical instruments typically have straight bodies that are rather difficult to use. While such existing laparoscopic surgical instruments can perform invasive surgical procedures, the instruments are often awkward to manipulate around corners and other difficult to reach places. Moreover, related art articulating laparoscopic surgical instruments typically use cables and hydraulic lines to manipulate the surgical tip of the instruments. As the size of existing laparoscopic surgical instruments is reduced, the hydraulic lines used therein also typically decrease in size. However, when the hydraulic lines decrease in size, manually forcing hydraulic fluid through the hydraulic lines becomes more difficult to accomplish. Moreover, if a surgeon is controlling the surgical instrument within the body from a distance or at a remote location from the patient, the hydraulic lines may be relatively long, and thus manually forcing liquid through the hydraulic lines may become difficult to accomplish.
Thus, during prolonged surgical procedures, and/or in cases where the surgeon is at a remote location relative to the instrument and patient, the surgeon may experience hand fatigue.